Matchmaker, Heartbreaker, Total Sucker
by R011ingThunder
Summary: Toby is in love with Jenny Realight? Lyon's been roped into being his buddy's wingman. On top of that, the upcoming dance has all the girls worked up, so Lyon's got his hands full. But that's no problem, because he's Mr. Relationship! (Because he's not a walking relationship disaster or anything... XD) [Mazeverse] Jendawg, background one-sided Lyvia
1. Lyon Vastia: Matchmaker

_This is the story of Lyon, who's head-over-heels for Juvia, who's pining after Gray, who's had a secret crush on Erza (basically since forever), but she's completely oblivious because she's totally in love with Jellal. Of Freed, who feels conflicted over his feelings for Mirajane who's ignoring him because she's not over Laxus who still misses what they used to have (even though he's mostly, completely over it). Of Loke who won't give up even though he knows that he has zero chance with Lucy, even though she's sick and tired of clueless, bone-headed Natsu who doesn't understand why there's a problem._

 _This is the Mazeverse series, a post-Tenrou AU with pairings galore. Gruvia, Lyvia, Grayza, Jerza, Nalu, Nali, Lolu, Graylu, Bixanna, Gale, ElfEver, Miraxus, Laxana, MiraFreed as well as a handful of crackships and rare-pairs as we try to pair the spares. This is the Mazeverse. No ship is safe ;)_

* * *

 **Happy Friday!**

 **I'm really excited to share this piece... it's one of my favorites. I love Lyon and the Lamia team, and I wanted to shed some light on what their dynamic is like. Lyon becomes a more central character in Mazeverse Season 2, so I wanted to start pushing the spotlight towards him. (I was totally floored when my beta (Edgar) was like "Since when is Lyon a main character?" and I was like "Since always...?" So this.)  
**

 **This one takes place between chapters 3 and 4 of _Much Ado About Nothing._ For those who haven't read _Much Ado_ , you'll be able to enjoy this fic without. The only thing you really need to know is that Toby has this fanboy crush on Jenny Realight of Blue Pegasus. And Lyon has been backed into helping him score a date. (But that was in the description, so you probably already figured that one out! XD)  
**

 **For those who did read _Much Ado_ , you're going to have a bit of a different experience, as you already know how this story will end. But you might be wondering how we got from Lyon promising to help Toby to that thing that thing we revealed at the end of chapter 4 (the Blue Pegasus chapter of _Much Ado_ ). Here's the backstory.**

 **Guest** **: Oh, you know me. I've been trouble since the day I was born! XD I love Lyon as a matchmaker. The idea t** ** **hat he can make it work for others, but not himself is horribly ironic. The runner-up to that is notion that someone so abrasive could be so good with matters of the heart. Thanks again!****

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon heard the whir of a grinder. He fidgeted in the coffee shop booth, his expression neutral.

"Will. You. Go. To the dance. With me?" he said, ignoring the strange looks the other customers were giving him.

"Um… so…" his companion faltered, with what looked like a shrug.

Lyon groaned, bringing a hand up to his throbbing temples. "Toby, this isn't that hard! 'Will you go to the dance with me?' It's just one sentence."

Toby nodded, swallowing hard. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Will you—" he choked. "I-I can't. I just can't!" said Toby, shaking his head.

"Eight words, Toby. Eight. Words," sighed Lyon, pushing aside the disposable cup, which had long been empty. "Or is even that beyond you?"

"Easy for you to say," mumbled Toby. "You're one of the popular guys."

"You're making this harder than this has to be," said Lyon. He didn't mean to sound harsh, but his patience was wearing thin.

When Toby had asked him for some tips on how to ask a girl to the dance, he had been happy to share. But they'd been sitting at this coffee shop for two hours and they hadn't even gotten beyond the asking bit, never mind the rest of the stuff that his friend would doubtless need.

"What if she says no?" said Toby. "What then? My stupid life would be over!" whined Toby, running his hands through his thick hair in agitation.

"At this rate, you won't have to worry about that."

"I won't?" asked Toby, his voice rising hopefully.

Lyon shook his head, eyes narrowing. "No… She'll never say no if you don't ask her," he snapped. The Gala was only days away, and if Toby couldn't resolve his anxiety soon, they'd both be going stag.

"And if I _do_ ask her, she might say no!" Toby turned away with a sigh. "Haven't you ever wanted to be with someone so bad that you though your heart was going to burst?" he asked softly.

Oh, Lyon knew the feeling all too well.

Lyon's mind conjured a pair of wide, blue eyes framed by long lashes. A teasing giggle. Nervous hands working at dark curls. Late night lacrima calls that made his chest ache.

 _"Lyon, are you busy? I sort of need your help…_ "

Suddenly Toby's comments seemed much more reasonable.

Biting back a sigh, Lyon turned to his friend. "Then you have a choice to make," he said gently. "Is it worth the risk to ask? Or would you rather go the rest of your life not knowing what would have happened?"

"You sound like you've done this before…" said Toby.

"Possibly."

"So, what'd you do?"

"Asked her, of course." That was the first thing he'd done when he'd laid eyes on Juvia Lockser.

"And then what happened?" asked Toby.

"She turned me down," said Lyon bluntly. And that was the very first thing _she'd_ done.

"Ohhh! That wasn't what I wanted to hear!" moaned Toby.

"You wanted me to lie to you?" asked Lyon. "Fine. We're happily married with seven children, as you can _clearly_ see," he said, flinging his left hand up in a dramatic gesture.

Toby's expression pulled into something that was a cross between a chuckle and a sob. "It really is hopeless, isn't it?" he asked.

"What? No… I didn't—I didn't mean it that way," said Lyon. "I was being sarcastic."

"No, you're right. Maybe I should just quit now…" said Toby.

"That's not fair," said Lyon. "I knew she probably… wouldn't return my feelings," he said, shrugging. "I chose to ask her anyways."

Toby was silent for a beat, before he frowned. "You're still in love with her, aren't you?" he asked, watching Lyon's reaction carefully.

Lyon recoiled, his denial immediate. "No… we're just friends."

"Lyon. I'll believe that as soon as Yuka remembers to trim his eyebrows."

Toby might have been brighter than Lyon had given him credit for.

"Maybe… just a little still," admitted Lyon. He liked Juvia a whole lot more than 'just a little,' but Toby was the last person he'd tell.

"But if _you_ got rejected, then what chance do _I_ have?"

Rejected. That was a pleasant word for it. But now wasn't the time to be nursing his injured pride.

Lyon didn't have a chance with Juvia, but Toby and Jenny weren't beyond the realm of possibility. He'd have to help Toby make this work, if only to keep him from experiencing this—more unfortunate—side of relationships.

But _how_ …?

"Lyon?" asked Toby, threading his hands through his hair awkwardly.

"Thinking," Lyon said. "If I can get her to come to the Gala, do you think you can handle talking to her?"

Eyes wide, Toby looked terribly self-conscious. "You mean you aren't going to help anymore?"

"I want to help, Toby. As much as I can. But there's only so much I can do. This is something you'll have to face on your own."

Toby nodded stiffly. "Yep. I can do that. What… What are you planning on doing?" asked Toby.

Lyon couldn't keep the grin from his face. He couldn't guarantee Toby's success, but he could at least score him a first date.

"We're going to cheat," said Lyon gleefully.

"Cheat?" asked Toby.

"Yeah. Cheat. I'm going to ask Jenny to the dance with me."

"Y-you _what_?" asked Toby. He frowned, hurt flashing in his eyes.

"No, not like that," said Lyon quickly. "I'll ask her to the dance, but then once we actually get there, I'll set it up so that you guys can talk. Will that be sufficient?"

"That's fine but…"

"But what?"

"But what about you? If Jenny's _your_ date, and you leave her with me… wouldn't that leave you all al—"

"Don't worry about that," said Lyon, waving his hand dismissively. "You just figure out what you're going to say to her once I introduce you. You'll have your work cut out for you there."

He was well aware that he'd be dateless if he managed to pull this off. Actually, he'd be dateless if he screwed it up too. It was lose-lose for him.

But Lyon didn't care. It was a necessary sacrifice. And Toby's happiness was far more important. And besides, the girl he _really_ wanted to go with wasn't interested, so it wasn't like going stag was a huge loss.

"Do you think it'll work?" asked Toby.

Lyon tapped on the plastic lid of his empty cup. "I think my odds of getting her to say yes are pretty good," he mused. "I should be able to pull it off."

"No, I mean… What about getting her to say yes to… me?" faltered Toby. "Jenny is such an amazing person. She's so positive and kind and... well, I'm just… _me_."

Lyon sighed, choosing not to point out that Toby hadn't even met Jenny in person yet. "You're really into this girl, aren't you?" he asked instead.

Toby nodded. "More than anything."

"And you want her to like you back?"

"Of course."

"You might want to start by liking yourself," said Lyon wryly. "If _you_ don't even like you, why would she? A little confidence might be helpful."

"Yeah, well you seem to have plenty of it. Can I borrow some?"

Lyon laughed, stretching as he stood up.

"I'd better get going. I'll let you know how it goes this afternoon," he said, clapping Toby on the shoulder as he passed. If they were going to pull this off, he had work to do.

He tossed out his empty cup, turning to leave.

"Hey… thanks!" called Toby.

"Don't thank me until it's over," said Lyon.

* * *

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Matchmaker, Heartbreaker, Total Sucker,_** **Juvia asks for fashion advice. Sherry is not pleased:** _"Hair up or down?" asked Juvia. /"Does she not have girlfriends to ask these questions to?" muttered Sherry._

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	2. Lyon Vastia: Fashion Consultant

**Happy Friday!**

 **For those newer to Mazeverse, one thing that differs from the canon is that Juvia has enlisted Lyon's help with regard to her love life. Thus, she probably has him on speed dial and calls him twice a week (at least). I imagine that the conversation is still predominantly Gray-related, but I would hope they've had a couple of non-business conversations. I'd like to believe that they're at least sort-of friends. Is that wishful thinking?  
**

 **guest : Thank you, my friend! This is one of my favorite chapters. Actually, I'm going to say that just about every week... lol! I think Lamia Scale is my favorite of the guilds. I just wish they had a cooler emblem.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

How could he ask a girl out without really asking her out?

In all honesty, he was probably the wrong person to be answering this question. As flattered as Lyon was that his opinion on these things was respected, there was a part of him that recognized just how unqualified he was to be assisting with matters of the heart.

He wasn't sure how he got himself involved in these problems anyways. Who in their right mind would go to the most painfully single male they knew for relationship advice? His own love-life was practically nonexistent.

Sure, he'd dated before, but it had never gotten serious. He'd hardly consider those to be 'relationships.' It wasn't like he'd had any actual experience.

If anything, Toby would have been better off asking Sherry. She was the most relationship savvy person Lyon knew. It wasn't just her obsession with all things _love_ that led Lyon to trust her judgement. Sherry was the only member of their team who he would consider to be in a serious, long-term relationship.

He hadn't expected them to last more than a few weeks, but she and Ren had been together for almost a year.

And it was with that in mind that Lyon asked the Marionette Mage to meet him at the guild hall.

"What did you need to talk to me about?" asked Sherry, taking the seat beside him. Her eyebrows were drawn down in concern. "You were pretty vague about it when you called."

"Don't frown like that," said Lyon. "It's nothing to worry about. I just wanted to talk through this whole Toby and Jenny thing."

Sherry's expression brightened immediately. "And can I say just how glad I am that you're helping? That's _love_! And it'll be nice for Toby to find his special someone," she gushed.

Lyon snorted. Sherry was such a mom! Lyon could imagine her cooing over the happy couple and forcing them to pose for pictures. If he could get them together, that was.

"I need your opinion on something. As a woman, do you think that it would be better to—"

Lyon's lacrima sounded, interrupting his question. He dug it out of his pocket.

Then he gave Sherry an apologetic smile. "Sorry, can I…" His eyes darted to the lacrima glowing in his hand.

"Go ahead," she said with a shrug.

"Hello?"

"Lyon! It's Juvia," came the voice on the other end.

"How are you, Juvia?" asked Lyon, unable to keep from smiling. He couldn't help the anxious little flutter in his stomach, even though he had a feeling this would end badly for him. It always did.

Sherry scowled at the mention of the other girl's name. "What does she want now?"

"I have question for you, if you're not busy," said Juvia.

"I'm not busy."

"It's a little silly…"

"That's all right. Go ahead," encouraged Lyon.

Sherry huffed, crossing her arms in annoyance. Lyon twisted to face away from her. He didn't need Sherry's distractions when he was trying to give Juvia his undivided attention.

"Cerulean or ultramarine?" asked Juvia.

Lyon blinked. "… _what_?"

"Cerulean or ultramarine?" she repeated. "See, I'm trying to pick a dress for the Gala and I wasn't sure what color to go with…"

"I think you're asking the wrong person," said Lyon. "You realize you're talking to a man who's worn the same color pretty much all his life?"

"And that color is blue, right?" said Juvia. "So you should be an expert here."

"I don't know about that…" said Lyon.

"Okay… Which one do you think Gray would like?"

Lyon grimaced, that familiar achy feeling already taking hold of his chest. "I think he should like you in whatever color you pick, or I'll pound him to a pulp," deadpanned Lyon, a slight growl rising in the back of his throat. "Does that help?"

"Lyon!" giggled Juvia. "Seriously, though… What color do _you_ think would look better?"

" _Me_?" he asked hollowly, his brows furrowing in disbelief.

"I trust your judgement," said Juvia.

He opened his mouth. Then he shut it again, clenching his jaw.

She trusted his judgement…? Surely she couldn't mean it the way he wanted her to. No, because this call was all about Gray. It always was.

"Lyon? Are you still there?" came Juvia's voice.

His chest tightened painfully. He swallowed hard, struggling to find his voice. "Go with the blue one," he said finally.

"They're both blue…" said Juvia, her puzzled tone trailing off.

"I… I meant the darker one," he amended quickly, trying to cover for his slip-up and hoping she wouldn't notice.

"…Are you okay?" asked Juvia.

She noticed.

"Great. Perfect," he said, trying not to choke on the lump in his throat. "Anything else I can help you with?" he asked, trying not to sound too short with her. None of this was her fault, after all.

"Uh, no, that was it, I guess. Thanks!"

"Sure," Lyon said, before ending the call. He let out a heavy sigh, forcing the air from his lungs. He slumped forward, his elbows landing against his knees.

"What was that about?" asked Sherry.

Lyon unbent, turning to look at her. "What's the difference between cerulean and ultramarine?" he asked, intending for the question to be as much a distraction for himself as for Sherry.

But his teammate wouldn't be sidetracked.

"Why are you still taking her calls?" asked Sherry, her eyes narrowed.

"Leave it alone, Sherry," said Lyon.

"I don't like it, Lyon. I can see how much she's hurting you. But she doesn't even care," hissed Sherry.

"It's not her fault. She doesn't know," said Lyon.

"She's ridiculous! And you won't tell her, _because_ …?" demanded Sherry.

"Just because," interrupted Lyon. "If she's happy, that's enough for me," he added softly. "I don't… need her to like me back. This is fine. Better, even," he insisted. If he kept repeating it, he might just believe himself.

"Then, _you_ are the ridiculous one," said Sherry harshly. "This isn't _love_. I don't like this."

"I'm not asking you to like it," snapped Lyon. "Besides, I thought you found the whole affair to be hilarious."

"Yeah, before I realized how seriously screwed up it was! Maybe I should go and leave a rock-doll Jura on Fairy Tail's front lawn," muttered Sherry, referencing Lyon's brash display of loyalty when she and Ren had first started dating.

"I don't need you feel like you have to protect me," said Lyon, shaking his head. "You shouldn't have to worry about me."

"So it's okay for you to do it, but not for me to? Where's the _love_ in that?" Sherry's voice rose shrilly, her eyes flashing in irritation. "And besides, if I don't, who will? You never look after yourself, and _somebody_ has to."

Lyon ran a hand through his hair. "Please, Sherry. _Please_. Would you just let it go?" he asked wearily.

Juvia's blinding enthusiasm could be a little draining, but her constant fixation on Gray only made him feel worse. Trying to deal with Sherry on top of that was more than he could handle right now.

Sherry relented with a huff, her lips pulling down in disapproval. " _This_ is cerulean," she said, jabbing him hard in the chest.

"Ow…" Lyon complained.

"And _this_ is ultramarine…" she said sharply, jerking the edge of his cloak between two fingers before dropping it. Then she sighed. "Now, was there something else you wanted to ask me?" she added softly.

Lyon opened his mouth to speak when his lacrima sounded again.

"I have to take this," he told her.

" _Again_?" Sherry was the picture of exasperation when she threw her hands up.

Lyon shushed her, waving for Sherry to stay quiet.

"Hey, it's Juvia again. Sorry…"

"Not a problem. What's up?" asked Lyon, letting the excitement of hearing her voice drown out his prior disappointment.

"Hair up or down?" asked Juvia.

"Does she not have girlfriends to ask these questions to?" muttered Sherry.

"Down. Definitely down," he said.

"I was thinking about having Mira or Lucy straighten it for me…" said Juvia.

Lyon made a choked sound. "No… Don't do that."

"No?" echoed Juvia.

"Nope. I like your hair the way it is," Lyon told her honestly. Why change what was already perfect?

"Thanks, Lyon! You're the best!" exclaimed Juvia.

"Any time. And Juvia?"

"Hm?"

"Go with the ultramarine," he advised. "It'll bring out your eyes."

Lyon could hear the smile in Juvia's voice as she responded. "Good idea. Thank you again!"

He couldn't help but smile, despite everything.

Until he caught Sherry's scowl. "I _swear_ , Lyon…" she said, shaking her head, her eyes concerned.

Lyon wiped the dopey grin from his face. "I have to get going," he said, excusing himself. "There's someplace I have to be."

It wasn't until he had stepped out of the guild that he realized that he'd completely forgotten to ask Sherry about Toby and Jenny.

* * *

 **Yeah... somebody's got it bad. Lyon is probably as single-minded as Juvia is, so he probably gets how she feels. That, and he probably knows just how hopeless his position is. The only reason he's not saying anything is that he's got the maturity to tamp down his feelings.  
**

 **As for Sherry, she's as protective of her boys as they are of her, so of course she'll get all prickly about this whole un-relationship that Lyon and Juvia have.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Matchmaker, Heartbreaker, Total Sucker,_** **Lyon dishes out relationship advice:** _"I really don't like you getting hit on by those Pegasus guys," said Lyon honestly. "They're nothing but trouble."_  
 **Of course, Chelia's the one who's nothing but trouble.**

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	3. Lyon Vastia: Mama Bear

**Happy Friday! Now it's Chelia's turn! I had so much fun with this chapter. I love our little extortionist! :) I fought with the title for this chapter a little bit. Babysitter? Big Brother? Finally settled on Mama Bear because of the mental image that invoked. XD  
**

 **guest : Hopeless is a great word for it. He needs to quit being such a pushover or it won't end well. But alas, he's a 'Total Sucker,' right? ;) Glad we're pulling for Toby, though. Our minor and side characters need some love and the whole Jenny Realight thing has rom-com disaster written all over it! Thanks again!**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon had barely stepped out of the guild when he realized that he still hadn't gotten the answers he had been looking for. Lyon hated to do without the benefit of Sherry's intuition and sage advice, but there was no way he was going to go back and ask for Sherry's help now.

No, he'd just have to wing it.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Sherry wasn't always right. After all, she was wrong about Juvia.

Although, Lyon did have to admit that each encounter with Fairy Tail's pretty Water Mage left him with a painful twinge in his heart and a hollowness he tried his best to ignore.

Maybe Sherry's observations weren't completely off base. Maybe he _should_ just give up on Juvia… Maybe, it was time to let go…

Lyon's musings were interrupted when he ran into Chelia in the front lawn.

"Hey, Chelia. What're are you up to?" he asked.

"Just making plans for the Victory Gala," shrugged Chelia.

"Victory Gala?" echoed Lyon, frowning. "Since when were you invited?"

"…Since I was a member of the Lamia Scale Guild?" asked Chelia, flashing him a winning grin.

"…Who is over the age of sixteen?" asked Lyon pointedly. "You know that's always been the rule."

"That's no fair! Now that the Fairies are back, they're letting Wendy go," complained Chelia. "She's even a couple of years younger than I am."

"They're making an exception for Wendy, since she actually helped in the Oracion Seis mission," said Lyon. "Plus, she and her prissy cat are the only remaining members of the former Cait Shelter guild. I hear Fairy Tail's master thought it would be nice to have them represented this year."

Chelia deflated, jutting her chin out in a pout. "You suck," she complained.

"I don't make the rules," said Lyon, genuinely apologetic. "Next year, though. You'll be old enough then, right?"

"Yeah, yeah…" said Chelia, wrinkling her nose in displeasure. Then her expression morphed into a thoughtful one. "Why don't you take me as your plus one? I'd be able to go then, right?"

"Sorry, Chelia. I've got… plans," said Lyon vaguely. Did _Operation Toby & Jenny_ count as having plans? He started to walk away, but Chelia followed.

"Lyon has a date?" crooned Chelia, skipping along behind him.

"Ha, ha. _Hilarious_ , Chelia. And why are you still following me?"

"You laugh, Lyon, but _this_ I have to see!" crowed Chelia.

"I don't think so," said Lyon. The last thing he wanted was for Chelia to come and gawk at them before the left for the Gala. He'd have his hands full with Jenny and Toby without having to worry about Chelia too.

"You don't want me to come?" asked Chelia, looking a little hurt.

Lyon stopped, turning to regard her seriously. "It's not that. I just don't think that's a good idea," said Lyon.

"Don't want me meeting your _girlfriend_?" Chelia sing-songed.

"Hardly."

"Then why do you care if I come or not? It's not going to hurt anything."

"I really don't like you getting hit on by those Pegasus guys," said Lyon honestly. "They're nothing but trouble."

"What's the harm in it?" asked Chelia, shrugging. "They're not serious, most of the time. Well, I guess, Ren was, but it worked out okay for Sherry, didn't it?"

"…Do you actually like any of them?" asked Lyon, surprised at how gentle his tone was.

"Not really…" admitted Chelia. "But it's kind of flattering, you know? Getting attention from an older guy like that. Especially a popular one, like Eve or Hibiki. You have to admit, they're both pretty cute."

Lyon cringed. He knew it wasn't any of his business, but he couldn't just let this one go. He could remember how misguided he had been at Chelia's age. There was part of him that wished he had someone who would have pointed him in the right direction and kept him from making the mistakes he had made.

Granted, Chelia wasn't as crazy-ambitious as he was. If anything, she was a little too complacent. But the principle was the same. That was one of the reasons he'd taken her tutelage into his own hands, after all. Surely it couldn't hurt to offer her a little brotherly advice.

"You don't need that," said Lyon in his best big-brother voice. "Besides, what good is a guy fawning over you if you know it isn't real?"

"I guess that's true," sighed Chelia. "It's every girl's dream, though. Playing princess… riding off into the sunset with her handsome prince. Feeling like Cinderella at a ball. Or maybe a Victory Gala."

"Looks aren't everything, you know," he reminded her. "Chelia, you deserve a guy who will make you feel like a princess all the time, not just because of some ridiculous dance."

"And you're not going to get jealous of him and try to kick his butt?" asked Chelia suspiciously.

"Not if I think he's worthy, no," said Lyon. "As long as he's someone who'll treat you right and look after you, I wouldn't say no to that."

"But you and Sherry already look after me," said Chelia. "That's enough for me."

"This is a little different," said Lyon. "I'm talking about somebody who wants to be with you for the rest of your lives. Someone who'll do anything just to see you smile."

"Wow…" said Chelia quietly. "Do you think there's really someone like that out there?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, he's out there. And when you find him, I'll gladly support the both of you," said Lyon. "Now keep in mind that my standards are fairly high, so it might take a while. But be patient. You're still young. You've got plenty of time."

Chelia threw back her head and laughed. "You talk like an old man, Lyon!" she exclaimed.

" _Excuse_ _me_?" Lyon huffed. And here he had thought they were having a moment.

"So I get that you don't want me coming by the guild before the Gala. And I get that you don't trust Ren's friends. But there's still something I don't get."

"And what would that be?"

"What's in it for me?" purred Chelia, her green eyes dancing wickedly.

Lyon almost groaned. He should have seen this coming. With Chelia, it always came back to some sort of bargain.

"Why don't you cut to the chase and name your price?" he said.

"Flowers," said Chelia, her eyes lighting up.

" _What_? You're joking," said Lyon.

"Nope. I want a good-looking guy to bring me flowers."

"And what exactly do you expect me to do about that?" he asked impatiently.

"Why don't you get me flowers? You're a guy. And you're handsome enough, I suppose. You'll be sufficient," said Chelia.

 _Sufficient_?

"Thanks a lot," muttered Lyon. First Juvia and Sherry, now Chelia. These girls were doing wonders for his battered pride.

Chelia just giggled.

"Wouldn't you rather have a pocket full of spending money?" asked Lyon, reaching for his wallet. It would be significantly less work for him to just buy her off. "You could buy yourself some ice cream."

"Why would I want that?" asked Chelia. "No. Flowers are the only thing that're going to make me feel less heartbroken about not getting to go to the Gala _again_ this year," insisted Chelia, grinning cheekily. Despite her words, she didn't sound heartbroken. Not in the slightest.

"Um, okay…" said Lyon.

There was something flowery growing in the grass near their feet. Actually, it may have been more of a weed, but regardless. He leaned forward to pluck the 'flower,' trying not to feel too awkward. The things he did for this girl!

Chelia giggled. "No, silly! _Real_ flowers."

"What are you talking about? These look real to me," said Lyon.

"I meant a bouquet. Roses," said Chelia.

" _Roses_?" snorted Lyon.

"Well, if you don't want to, I'm sure I can get Eve to bring me a bouquet before the Gala," she said innocently.

"Fine…" sighed Lyon. "If it's roses you want, it's roses you'll have."

"Perfect," grinned Chelia. "I'll be waiting," she called after him.

" _Great_ ," deadpanned Lyon.

He sighed, shaking his head. When was he going to learn to keep his mouth shut?

* * *

 **Lyon's relationship advice tends to be pretty good, all things considered. Personally, I think he's spot-on here, talking about finding someone who will make you feel special all the time and not just a few times a year (on holidays and anniversaries, etc.)**

 **I headcanon that there are sort of two sides to Lyon. There's the arrogant and slightly abrasive side that we see more of in canon. But underneath that, around the people he cares about, I think there's a very protective, loyal individual who cares just a little bit too much and throws up walls to keep from getting hurt.  
**

 **People who he'd bend over backwards for include his team (who stuck with him through Deliora and Galuna and all of that. There's a reason they still choose to follow him around), Chelia, Gray, and probably Juvia (given his little crush on her).**

 **Yes, I might know someone who's just like that... It dawned on me that I was using my friend for inspo when I called him the other day with "Are you busy? I think I need your help..." No, we're not involved. If anything I'm more his Chelia than his Juvia, given how much I troll him. He alternates between being big brotherly (like Lyon is, here) and being exasperated with me (like Lyon typically is with Toby or Gray). Fun times! :)  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Matchmaker, Heartbreaker, Total Sucker,_** **Lyon scores a girl:** _"I know we only just met. But is it presumptuous of me to want to take you to the dance next weekend?"_

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	4. Lyon Vastia: Heartbreaker

**Happy Friday!  
**

 **So... it's the end of November. Who WriMo'ed this month? If you did, and you finished your 50K, then awesome job! And if you didn't quite make it, pat yourself on the back anyways. You've taken on a challenge that most people would never think of trying and even taking that first step and starting is a huge deal. Starting is half the battle. (Finishing is the other half. I'll be honest, before I started posting fanfiction, I never finished anything. Like, ever. But now, I love how it feels to complete a story, which is why I tend to write short ones.)**

 ** **And in all honesty, I did not WriMo, this year. I find that I'm more successful when I give myself 3-6 months to work through a story of that length. But who knows? Maybe some time, I'll be up for the challenge again.  
****

 **In other news, I typically like to plug other stories of mine, even though it's not always related. Magical Mondays are back! Starting Monday, I'll start posting a (sort of) dystopic, Anastasia-themed Jerza fic as part of my _Tail as Old as Time_ series. Keep your eyes open for _Journey to the Past_.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon headed toward the local flower shop. He'd hurry up and get Chelia her roses, so he could turn his attention back to helping Toby. There was no sense in putting it off.

The cloistering scent of flowers filled nose as he opened the door.

Lyon scanned the flower-lined walls. What was he even looking for?! There were so many different types of flowers and a whole assortment of colors to choose from. Suddenly, Lyon was grateful that Chelia had made things easier by specifying roses.

"Can I help you find anything?" asked the girl who was minding the shop.

"I'm just looking for some flowers," said Lyon, the words out before he could check himself.

"Oh. Is that so?" The florist's eyes glinted with amusement. "First time in a flower shop?" she asked.

"Something like that," said Lyon.

"Feel free to browse. And if you want something specific, give a shout. I'll just be tidying up," she said, waving at a display case filled with a few sorry looking bouquets and even more empty vases.

"Busy morning?" he asked.

"You have no idea," said the girl, straightening the ribbon on a bouquet before adding it to the display. "With the Jenny Realight interview today, I swear every single Jenny fanboy in a five-mile radius in a has been in to buy flowers. But hey, I'm not complaining. It's good for business," the girl said, rearranging the vases on the shelf and adjusting one of the price tags.

"Jenny Realight interview?" asked Lyon.

"Oh, you haven't heard? Jenny's in Margaret Town today. She's doing an interview with the Fiore Sun. Everyone's probably waiting for a chance to meet her or get a picture or something when she's done."

 _This_ was a stroke of luck! He could talk to Jenny today and he wouldn't even have to go out to Worth Woodsea to find her. But he had to move quickly if he wanted to catch her before she left.

Lyon reached for a bouquet of red roses, the cellophane wrapping crinkling in his hand. He couldn't go wrong with classic red, right?

He brought the bouquet to the cash register.

"Good choice! Date night?" she asked.

"Eh, no… It's a long story," said Lyon.

"Fair enough," the girl said. "That'll be three thousand and twenty-seven Jewels."

Lyon pulled the bills out of his wallet and slid them across the counter.

Lyon held the bouquet stiffly. What was he supposed to do now? He didn't want to be caught walking around Margaret Town like with _this_ thing! He'd look just like a love-struck fanboy, and that was the last thing he needed.

"Do you have a bag or something I can have?" asked Lyon awkwardly.

The florist reached under the counter, pulling out a cheerfully-colored gift bag with a flowery logo. "Here you go."

Lyon grimaced. "Ah… Do you have anything less… obvious?" he asked.

The girl laughed. "Let me take a quick look around back," she said.

Eventually, she came back with a plain brown bag with sturdy looking handles. "How's this?" she asked. "It's the bag that my lunch came in, so it smells a little like takeout, but you can have it if you want."

Lyon breathed a sigh of relief. He could deal with that. "Perfect."

"Thanks for your patronage! Come again!" the girl called as he left.

Lyon racked his brain for a plan. Should he wait outside of the offices of the Fiore Sun and try to intercept her there? No, that's where all the other fanboys would be waiting.

Maybe he'd be better off waiting for her at the train station. Hopefully he'd be able to catch her before she headed back to Blue Pegasus.

Lyon pushed through the crowds at the bustling station. Margaret Town wasn't huge, but it was an interchange for a few different lines, so the train station was always busy. Lyon found a bench where he could keep his eye on the door and the outbound trains at the same time.

All he could do now was wait. And try to come up with a plan. A plan would help.

How could he ask a girl out without actually asking her out? Now this would be tricky.

The last thing he'd want would be for Jenny to she figured out she'd been set up. Not only would that ruin Toby's chances, he'd hurt Jenny in the process.

Lyon let out a breath, running a hand through his hair. He'd have to be confident and maybe a little brash. And of course, charming, and maybe even a little old-fashioned. He could do that.

He needed to differentiate himself from the rest of Jenny's fan club. Besides, he really wasn't like those other guys. They could come off as being a little bit desperate. He, on the other hand, had nothing to lose but his pride.

And Toby's happiness. That was a good bit more fragile, so he had to be _a little_ careful.

But no pressure.

Lyon didn't have to wait for long. Within the hour, an attractive blonde girl staggered into the station. She had half-a-dozen shopping bags gripped in one hand and a stack of cardboard boxes wedged under her other arm. Gifts from would-be suitors, probably.

This could be none other than the infamous Jenny Realight. Time to make his move.

"Excuse me, you look like you need a hand," he said, offering to relieve her of her burden.

"Oh, no, I'm okay," Jenny said with a polite smile.

"Please. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," he said, taking the boxes from her.

"Thank you. That's nice of you."

Lyon helped Jenny carry her packages to the platform. She set her bags down on the floor and he followed suit. Then Lyon frowned, giving Jenny a sidelong glance.

"Have we met somewhere before?" he asked. "You look sort of familiar," he said smoothly.

"Maybe… I can't say for sure," said Jenny shrugging. "With my job, I meet a lot of people."

"Hm… Are you a guild wizard, maybe?" asked Lyon.

"That's right. I'm from Blue Pegasus."

Lyon let his eyes widen as if reaching a realization. "You're Ren's friend!"

"Yeah. How'd you know that?"

"He's dating my teammate, Sherry," said Lyon, pretending to put it together.

Jenny's expression twisted in mirth. "You're that guy who put ice all over our front lawn last year!"

Lyon cringed. This was _not_ the first impression he was hoping to make. "I'm… sorry?"

"No, no! It's totally cool. The guys are still talking about it."

"I'm glad it didn't go over too badly," said Lyon honestly. He'd hate to have screwed up already because of something he'd done a year ago.

Jenny shook her head, grinning. "Nah. Personally, I thought it was kind of sweet. But don't tell the other guys I said that. So what's your name?"

"I'm Lyon. Lamia Scale."

"Good to finally meet you!" said Jenny, grinning. She seemed friendly enough, but she was clearly the type of girl who was used to meeting people.

He needed to up the ante.

Inspired, Lyon reached into the brown bag that he had been carrying. He pulled a rose from the bouquet he'd gotten for Chelia. She'd never notice the difference. Calling on his magic, he coated the velvety petals in a delicate layer of ice.

He bowed low, offering Jenny the ice-covered rose.

"I know we only just met. But is it presumptuous of me to want to take you to the dance next weekend?"

Jenny's eyes widened, startled by the gesture. She accepted the flower, collecting herself quickly. "That's very flattering," she said politely. "It's a sweet offer."

It seemed that Jenny was used to getting asked out by guys. And probably used to turning down advances too.

Lyon felt a little bit bad for her. It must be lonely being surrounded by people, but never knowing which of them were genuine.

"You don't believe me," said Lyon without missing a beat.

"Should I?"

"Sherry and Ren are seeing each other. They seem pretty serious. I just thought it would be best if we were all friends. The rest of your team and the rest of my team. We will be seeing more of each other, after all," shrugged Lyon. "But I'd understand if you'd rather not."

"I noticed that you haven't tried to ask for my number…" said Jenny, her expression unreadable.

Lyon shrugged. "I didn't think it was appropriate if we're starting out as mutual friends," he said easily.

"Really. Just friends?" asked Jenny, her eyes guarded. "Then is _this_ just friends too?" she asked cautiously, twirling the rose stem between her fingers slowly.

"If you want it to be," said Lyon. "I don't have a problem with taking it slow. Actually, that might be best…"

Knowing Toby, it wouldn't hurt to set Jenny's expectations now. And by set them, he actually meant lower them.

"Okay… all right, yeah," giggled Jenny.

"So is that a yes?" asked Lyon.

"…yeah," said Jenny, pausing before answering. "What time do you want to meet up this weekend?"

"Actually… can you catch a ride with Ren? I think he's picking Sherry up at Lamia Scale. We can meet up there, if that's okay."

"Don't you want to pick me up?" asked Jenny.

"Actually, I'd rather introduce you to my other friends. They're a pretty awesome bunch. If nothing else, you'd get a chance to meet them. That was the whole point of this, right?"

Jenny looked amused. "You're something else, you know that?" she asked. "That sounds like fun. I'd love to meet your friends."

"It'll be a good time," promised Lyon.

Hopefully for both her and Toby.

* * *

 **Does this count as Lyon X Jenny? And do they need a ship name? I've been using Jennyon, but if someone can propose something better, we can use that instead.  
**

 **For the record, I sort of have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, Lyon's fake-dating Jenny for a good cause. On the other, can you imagine being Jenny and having some guy toy with you like that? That would be so awful! The only redeeming aspect is that he says it's just friends. On the flip side, how many of us have taken a guy's comment of 'just friends' to mean 'he's totally into me'?**

 **Maybe that's the real moral here. Don't mess with others. And when someone says 'just friends' take them at face value until they show otherwise.**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Matchmaker, Heartbreaker, Total Sucker,_** **Lyon celebrates his victory. Or does he?:** _"It was child's play," he boasted. "Someone like me would never get turned down by the likes of Jenny Realight. I knew it wouldn't be a problem."_

 **Stop back next Friday for the final installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	5. Lyon Vastia: Total Sucker

**Happy Friday! This is the last chapter of _Matchmaker, Heartbreaker, Total Sucker_. Lyon's a favorite of mine, so I had a ton of fun with this one. I hope our Lamias made you smile with their antics. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving me a comment or favoriting this fic. I'd love to hear what you thought! Thanks for reading :)  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon waited until he had seen Jenny onto her train before heading back to the guild. His innocuous brown bag safeguarded Chelia's flowers.

All in all, it had been a good day. Productive. That was the word he'd use for it.

Back at the guild hall, Chelia was waiting for him, and so was Toby.

"Lyon, what a surprise!" said Chelia sweetly, looking for all the world like she actually wasn't waiting for him to come by. "What's in the bag?"

Lyon rolled his eyes. If that's how she wanted to be, he'd play along.

"For you. One bouquet," he said grandly, presenting the roses to her.

"Aw, thanks! You shouldn't have!" chirped Chelia, twirling one of her pigtails. She reached for the flowers, cradling them in her arms. She brought the bouquet up to her nose, eyes fluttering shut as she breathed deeply.

"Not like you gave me much of a choice," Lyon reminded her. "So, am I forgiven for not letting you tag along to the Gala-thing?"

"May- _be_ ," said Chelia, drawing out the second syllable playfully. "What do you think, Toby? The flowers were a good show, yes?"

"I guess," shrugged Toby. "I wouldn't judge Lyon too harshly, though. After all… well…" Toby trailed off, fidgeting anxiously.

"Oh, Toby! You know Sherry says you're too forgiving, right?" Chelia laughed. Then she turned to Lyon, smirking. "So… who'd you give the missing rose to?" she asked.

"What?" Lyon blinked, caught off guard.

"Roses. They sell them in dozens. There's only eleven here," Chelia pointed out.

"Are you sure?" asked Lyon. They were flowers, not eggs. Why would they come in dozens? It wasn't like anyone had time to count the silly things.

He never considered that it might matter if there were eleven flowers or twelve of them. A bouquet was a bouquet.

Apparently, he was wrong.

Chelia gasped melodramatically, her lips pulling into a teasing smirk. "Did you ask out that girl you like?" asked Chelia, her eyes round.

"Nice try."

"Boo. You're no fun," Chelia pouted.

"I'll keep that in mind the next time you ask me for something," said Lyon.

Chelia groaned. "Come on, Lyon! Who'd you give it to?"

"Does it matter?"

" _Yes_!"

Lyon grinned, catching Toby's eye. "Just a very special someone from Pegasus," he said.

"No way. No way!" cried Chelia. "Lyon has a girlfriend?"

"She said yes?" asked Toby eagerly.

"Of course, she said yes," said Lyon loftily.

Toby's jaw dropped, shaking his head. "No way…" he mumbled, staggering back a step. "Is this even real?" he asked, barely daring to lift his eyes.

"Oh, it's real," Lyon assured him smugly. He wasn't sure what Toby was freaking out about now, though. The hardest part was yet to come.

"You go, Lyon!" chirped Chelia. "That's _love_ right there."

"It was child's play," he boasted. "Someone like me would never get turned down by the likes of Jenny Realight. I knew it wouldn't be a problem."

"You _what?_ " screeched Sherry, catching the tail end of the conversation as she entered the room.

"Sh-Sherry!" said Lyon. Her froze, turning towards her slowly.

Sherry's eyes blazed with fury. "I can't believe you…" she said, her tone dangerous and low.

Lyon winced. He had forgotten to involve her in his plan. Again.

"Listen, I meant to tell you this morning, but I got a little distracted," said Lyon. "We didn't mean to exclude you."

Sherry _hated_ when he tried to take things on without involving the rest of the team. And she hated being left out. But he could make up for that.

"I can apologize if that would help," he offered.

But Sherry wouldn't be placated. If anything, she seemed even more upset. "I never thought you'd stoop this low, Lyon!" she hissed, shaking her head. "How could you make a move on Toby's girl?"

"Make a move on…" Lyon repeated, his eyes widening in realization. "Wait, Sherry. It's not what you think it is."

"I don't want to hear it," snapped Sherry. "Friends don't do this to one another."

Lyon kicked himself. He should have planned for this. Sherry had a protective streak that could rival his. He should have known that she would take this the wrong way. And Toby's shell-shocked expression probably didn't help matters.

"Don't blame Lyon," Toby started to say. "It's not his fault."

Sherry shook her head adamantly. "You could stand to be less forgiving, Toby. And if you were smart, you'd stay away from this jerk. It might keep him from stabbing you in the back again," added Sherry. "So not love."

"Sherry, just let me explain," started Lyon, setting a hand on her arm.

"I'm done listening to you," she snapped, shaking him off and storming out of the guild.

Lyon sighed, the sinking feeling growing.

"You didn't really…" started Chelia.

Lyon shook his head. "Of course not."

"It isn't going to be easy convincing her otherwise," said Chelia. "Sherry was _mad_."

"Did I get you in trouble?" asked Toby anxiously. "I wasn't trying to."

"It isn't your fault," said Lyon. "You know how she gets when she's mad at you about one thing and then everything you do is wrong? She's been mad at me all morning," said Lyon.

"For what?" asked Toby.

"Nothing important," said Lyon. "She'll get over it."

"Sherry thinks Lyon's trying to make up for his personal failures by one-uping you in the romance department," supplied Chelia, grinning cheekily.

"Personal failures? What are you talking about?" He didn't have personal failures, thank you very much.

"You're a sucker who doesn't know how to say no," said Chelia. "You're too nice. That's the problem."

"I'm not too nice. You don't see me going out of my way for random strangers, do you?" he asked defensively. "There's only a handful of you that I'm willing to be nice to. You're on that list for now, Chelia, but you're making me reconsider that one."

"You're missing the point and I can't tell if you're being difficult on purpose or not," said Chelia, undaunted.

"Oh, is there a point?" asked Lyon sarcastically.

"Yep. And her name's Juvia."

"How do you know about that?" he said sharply. He wasn't sure why he was getting interrogated about this. It was nobody's business but his own. And if he was okay with this arrangement and Juvia didn't have a problem with it, then everyone else needed to leave it alone.

"I'm not stupid, Lyon," said Chelia. "And you're really, really obvious."

Lyon sighed. "I'm just trying to be nice. If she pushes me too far, I am more than capable of telling her no."

"There you go again! You couldn't even say no to a girl asking you for flowers just to annoy you!" She waved her bouquet at him pointedly.

"Well, excuse me for trying to be nice. I won't make that mistake again," Lyon huffed.

"My point exactly," said Chelia.

"Look, I know what I'm doing with Juvia. We're just friends. I'm not going to let it go any further than that."

Chelia tipped her head curiously. "Is that really what you think? I know you still like her."

"You doubt my resolve?" he asked, scowling.

"No. I think it's just an excuse to spend time with her," said Chelia.

Lyon froze, eyes widening. Was that really what he was doing?

Chelia grinned wickedly. "Lyooon! I need heeeelp! Can I come oveeer?" she sang out, wringing her hands theatrically.

"Cut that out!" he barked.

"Juvia, my sweet. Fear not!" mocked Chelia, lowering her voice in a facsimile of his. "I'll be on the next train to Magnolia! Wait for me, darling!" she boomed, waving her arms dramatically.

"Little brat!" snarled Lyon, lunging towards her. "Get back here!"

Chelia smacked him over the head with the roses. "You'll have to catch me first!" she shouted, darting out of the guild hall.

"I'm rooting for you," called Toby as Lyon took off after her. "Both of you. Go team!"

Chelia laughed, sending a blast of magic towards him as she scampered across the front lawn. "Oops!" she said, sounding entirely unapologetic.

"If you're going to do that, at least put some effort into it," he complained, just two steps behind her. "You're never going to improve your form that way. And for God's sake, _try_ to aim."

Chelia just laughed, dancing out of his reach. "Honestly, do you never stop? Always a sucker."

* * *

 **Of course, Lyon's _ego_ is what thwarted his otherwise well-orchestrated plan.**

 **Next week, we'll finally get to make good on my promises of sinking ships and use the collision courses that I've set up in _Much Ado._ Yes, it's finally time!  
**

 **Stop back next Friday for _[Mazeverse]_ ****_Victory Gala_** **, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


End file.
